TRACKS: This week at Irwindale Speedway
26 September 2000
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Irwindale, Calif. - - There's going to be a lot of "gold" on the line in Saturday night's "Miller Lite 100" on September 30. The last points race of the long and grueling 19-race Food 4 Less Super Late Model's season; it's also the final race in the (very) hotly-contested "series within a series" of 10 specially-identified races in the track's "Miller Lite Big 10 Challenge".
Only one place has been decided in the fiery and fast-paced F4L/SLM's at this point and that's first. Goleta's Greg Voigt (pronounced "VOTE" one last time sports fans) has clinched the season's championship with only one win (opening night) and a string of top finishes. Voigt, regardless of his upcoming Saturday night performance can not be caught for the divisional championship, its his and his alone for 2000. But, if anyone thinks that the Goleta Go-Getter is going to set his Chevy's cruise control on 100 laps and just take it kinda easy this Saturday night, they're camping out on the wrong planet.
There's nothing, flat nothing, that Mr. Gregory Voigt would rather do than win one more race at Irwindale this season. It would effectively DOUBLE his win total for the year! His nearest rival in the points war, (who has clinched second position in the points chase) is (darn we've promised not to call him "y---g" any more) Ok is hard-driving Benjamin Walker of Santa Clarita (by way of North Hills) who has handily won six main events this season. Ben want another one to show that he could have won the championship, Greg wants another one to show that he deserves the championship, and everyone else on the entry list wants one to put on their racing resume.. (The prize money won't hurt either)
Winning one race, winning a championship, even wining a heat race or a trophy dash at Irwindale, means that you've raced against the west coast's top drivers in that division and triumphed Nobody really wants second Nobody cruises.
Add to the above drama the fact that the Miller Lite Big 10 Challenge, which pays a nice fat $5,000.00 to the winner at season's end, is still very much up for grabs among at least three drivers: Voigt, Walker, and Simi Valley's Tommy Fry. The points go 508, 488, and 486. With 50 points left to capture on Saturday, Chino's Tim Woods III is out of contention (for first place) at 452.
As it was in the seasonal points, Mr. Voigt would "need" to have a very bad night (remember Weston's last race here in the Late Models?) combined with good nights for Walker and/or Fry for a major overtaking to occur. And, if this season has proven anything, its that anything is possible when the green flag flies at IS.
ADD DANNY HENDRICK:
A well-know family racing name will be back on track at Irwindale Speedway on Saturday as Danny Hendrick of Chino straps on his number 87 Super Late Model for a late season go in preperation for a full run at the title for 2001. The wheelchair-bound Hendrick will be looking to build on his successful seasons of character-building racing in Pony Stocks at the tight National Orange Show Speedway. Hendrick's car will sport the logo of the National Missing Children's Locate Center and he will function as an advocate for the organization.
Added excitement on Saturday night will come in the form of the great Grand American Modifieds. The questions are: Can Rip Michels add a tenth win to his 9 for 11 (so far) season? Will he finally get pipped for first place? Who's on second?
NASCAR Mini-Stocks and Legends Cars, both diminutive demons of the demi-circuit at Irwindale, will fill out the racing card on Saturday And then there's the BIKEs and BIKERs
ADD: MOTORCYCLES BY THE NUMBERS
How about over 500 motorcycles on display in the VIP lot and taking a victory lap on the Irwindale track after a 60-mile charity ride to send kids with Muscular Dystrophy to camp? How about a huge Go'N'Gear show of every known accessory, article, and accouterment that even comes close to relating to motorcycles?
How about: "Harleys on the Half Mile" presented by Laidlaw's Harley-Davidson? Its all tuned up and ready to ride on Saturday, September 30 at Irwindale Speedway.
Ticketing opens at noon, the bikers will begin arriving about 3:00 pm, the grandstand gates open at 4:00, The live band starts cooking at 4:00, the pre-event ceremonies begins at 6:00 and some serious NASCAR racing begins at 7:00. (The fun starts as soon as fans get here.)
Live band (before and after the races), contests, kids games, great motorcycle- watching and hard core NASCAR on-track action Who's not liking this?
www.tickets.com, www.irwindalespeedway.com, or (626) 358-1100.
Text provided by Doug Stokes
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